Date of release : 13-04-2005

Policy area : Justice and Home Affairs Justice and Home Affairs

Event : Justice and Home Affairs Council

The next "Justice and Home Affairs" Council of the European Union and the "Troika" type ministerial meeting with Russia will be held in Luxembourg on 14 and 15 April 2005 respectively, under the chairmanship of the Luxembourg Minister of Justice, Luc Frieden, and Luxembourg’s Minister Delegate of Foreign Affairs and Immigration, Nicolas Schmit.

The "JHA" Council’s working agenda for 14 April will include, in particular, a general debate on the proposal to create a European payment order procedure. This proposal aims to enable creditors to recover debts rapidly and settle liquid and due pecuniary debts as simply as possible within the European Union.

The EU Ministers of Justice will hold an orientation debate on the exchange of information extracted from the criminal record, with a view to establishing the general orientations which will determine future work and, in particular, future Commission proposals on the interaction of national criminal records.

The principle of availability will also feature on the agenda, and the Ministers will discuss the paths to follow for future work on its implementation. This principle makes provision for available information to be exchanged between repressive administrations as quickly as possible within the European Union, with the appropriate guarantees on data protection.

With regard to the next financial framework for the period 2007-2013, the Council will invite the Commission to submit its new proposals in favour of the area of "Freedom, Security and Justice".

After the morning meeting, the Luxembourg Presidency will hold an initial press conference.

Over lunch, the Council will be informed about the work of the Task Force of Police Chiefs with regard to operational cooperation. This Task Force, which brings together heads of European police forces, is tasked with organising and coordinating the actions of multinational police forces, with Europol’s analytical support.

The Ministers will also discuss preparations for the implementation of the European Agency for the Management of the External Borders. This agency’s tasks involve helping the Member States harmoniously implement European legislation on the control and surveillance of external borders and coordinating the operational cooperation of the competent national authorities.

The Commission will submit the report on the technical mission in Libya on illegal immigration, which was carried out on 28 November and 6 December 2004.

Beside the framework of the "JHA" Council, the signature of the Member States of the Convention relating to the accession of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia and the Republic of Slovakia will be put to the Convention on the law applicable to contractual obligations  , as well as the first and second protocols on its interpretation by the Court of Justice of the European Communities. This Convention of 1980 is aimed at establishing uniform rules concerning the law applicable to contractual obligations in the European Union.

The agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Albania on the readmission of persons residing without authorisation will also be signed. This agreement provides, as a general principle, that each contracting State readmits its irregular nationals residing in another contracting State onto its territory. The readmission agreement aims to define the practical conditions and methods of readmission.

Towards 18.00, the Luxembourg Presidency will hold a press conference to close this Council.

On Friday, 15 April 2005, the ministerial "Justice and Home Affairs" meeting between the European Union and the Russian Federation (Troika) will be held in Canach (Luxembourg). The Troika will bring together the Luxembourg Minister of Justice, Luc Frieden, the Luxembourg Minister Delegate for Foreign Affairs and Immigration, Nicolas Schmit, the Russian Presidential Aide, Victor Ivanov, the Interior Minister of the Russian Federation, Rachid Nourgaliyev, the Minister of Justice of the Russian Federation, Yuri Tchaika, and the Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for Justice, Freedom and Security, Franco Frattini.  

After the Troika, the Luxembourg Presidency will hold a press conference.